Campanula plant named ‘Chico Rosa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Campanula  plant named ‘Chico Rosa’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; light purple-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Campanula glomerata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CHICO ROSA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Campanula plant, botanically known as Campanula glomerata and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Chico Rosa’.

The new Campanula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Campanula plants that flower for a long period of time.

The new Campanula plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2006 of an unnamed selection of Campanula glomerata, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Campanula glomerata, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Campanula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands in June, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula plant by divisions a controlled environment in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, since August, 2009, has shown that the unique features of the new Campanula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Campanula plant have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Chico Rosa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Chico Rosa’ as a new and distinct Campanula plant:

-   -   1. Compact and broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Basal branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Campanula differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in plant size and flower color.

Plants of the new Campanula can be compared to plants of Campanula glomerata ‘Emerald’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,343. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Campanula differed primarily from plants of ‘Emerald’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula were more compact than plants of         ‘Emerald’.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula had stronger stems than plants of         ‘Emerald’.     -   3. Plants of the new Campanula were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Emerald’.     -   4. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Emerald’ differed slightly         in flower color.

Plants of the new Campanula can also be compared to plants of Campanula ‘Caroline’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Campanula differed primarily from plants of ‘Caroline’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula were more compact than plants of         ‘Caroline’.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula had stronger stems than plants of         ‘Caroline’.     -   3. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Caroline’ differed slightly         in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Campanula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Campanula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Chico Rosa’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Chico Rosa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown in 29-cm containers during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Campanula production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 16° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Campanula glomerata ‘Chico Rosa’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed selection of Campanula glomerata, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Campanula glomerata, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By divisions.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             broadly upright plant form; inverted triangle; low vigor to             moderately vigorous growth habit; campanulate flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary clusters.         -   Plant height.—About 48.2 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 60.3 cm.         -   Branch description.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit             with about 25 primary branches developing per plant. Length:             About 35.1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length: About             2.6 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 30° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A             strongly tinged with close to N186C and 187A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate or attenuate.         -   Margin.—Finely serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately rugose, rough;             moderately pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between             143A and 144A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146B.         -   Petioles.—Stem leaves are sessile; basal leaves are             petiolate. Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm by 4 mm.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C; margins,             close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single campanulate             flowers arranged in terminal and axillary clusters; flowers             face mostly upright to slightly outwardly; freely flowering             habit with about 25 flowers developing in terminal clusters             and about six flowers developing in axillary clusters.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about nine             months after planting; relatively long flowering period,             plants flower continuously from mid-June to early August in             The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Narrowly oblong. Color: Proximally, close to 145B;             distally, close to N77D.         -   Flower cluster height.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Flower cluster diameter.—About 8.1 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.4 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Typically seven or occasionally six in             a single whorl; fused. Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About             7 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblong. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Free portion, close to between             70C, 186B and 186C; fused portion, close to 76B with             venation, close to 70C. When opening, lower surface: Free             portion, close to 75B; fused portion, close to 76B to 76C             with venation, close to N77D. Fully opened, upper surface:             Free portion, close to 77C; fused portion, close to 76B with             venation, close to between N74D and 75A. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 76B to 76C; venation, close to N78D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Typically seven or occasionally six in             a single whorl; fused. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About             3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately             pubescent. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 143A. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Aspect, flowers in terminal clusters: Mostly upright.             Aspect, flowers in axillary clusters: About 30° from branch.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A strongly tinged with close to N186C and 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155C. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 7 mm.             Anther color: Close to 10B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 1.9 cm. Stigma shape: Three or             occasionally four-parted, decurrent. Stigma color: Close to             199D. Style length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: Close to             N155B. Ovary color: Close to 145B to 145C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Campanula. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Campanula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Campanula     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Campanula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind, to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 3. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Campanula plant named ‘Chico Rosa’ as illustrated and described. 